Hinged dispenser housing and adaptor

Abstract

There is provided a dispensing apparatus having a liquid container located therein which is provided with a valve assembly having a foam pump and an actuator for actuating the foam pump in which the housing includes a cover pivotally attached to a backing plate. The cover is movable from a fully open position in which the container may be inserted therein to a closed position. A housing adaptor is attached to a projection on the interior surface of the cover and engages the actuator. The housing adaptor is configured so that as the cover is moved in a first direction from a non-dispensing position in which no liquid is dispensed from the container to an dispensing position, the actuator moves in a second direction to actuate the foam pump and dispense foam from the container.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a product from a container located therein which is provided with a valve assembly having a valve and a depressable actuator for actuating the valve, comprising:
 a housing having a backing plate and a cover plate pivotally connected to said backing plate, said cover plate being moveable with respect to said backing plate from an open, container-loading position to a closed, non-dispensing position and to a closed, product-dispensing position, said cover plate and said backing plate together forming a cavity adapted to enclose and hold the container; 
 an opening in a bottom portion of said housing through which the product is dispensable; and 
 a connecting member attached to an inner surface of said cover plate and extending into said cavity formed by said cover plate and said backing plate so as to engage the depressable actuator, said connecting member positioned and configured so that movement of said cover plate from the closed, non-dispensing position to the closed, product-dispensing position in a first generally horizontal direction causes movement of the depressable actuator in a second generally vertically upward direction to actuate the valve and dispense product from said opening, 
 wherein said connecting member includes a cam surface and the depressable actuator includes a cam follower, said cam surface and the cam follower cooperating such that said cam surface engages the cam follower to move the depressable actuator in the second direction when said cover plate is moved in the first direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said connecting member comprises:
 a base having one end fixedly attached to said inner surface of said cover plate; and 
 a pair of spaced apart leg portions extending from said base and into said cavity, each of said leg portions having at least one angled cam surface, said cam surface having a lower end and an upper end, said lower end spaced from said base by a distance greater than the distance between said base and said upper end; 
 wherein the cam follower is adjacent said lower end when said cover plate is in the closed, non-dispensing position and is adjacent said upper end when said cover plate is in the closed, product-dispensing position. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein each of said leg portions includes an angled outer edge defining said cam surface. 
     
     
       4. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a foamed product comprising:
 a container enclosing a product to be dispensed; 
 a valve assembly comprising a foaming pump, said valve assembly having an inlet in fluid communication with said container, an outlet and a depressable actuator adapted to actuate said foaming pump to dispense the foamed product through said outlet; 
 a housing comprising a backing plate and a cover plate pivotally connected to said backing plate, said cover plate and said backing plate together forming a cavity adapted to hold said container, and said cover plate being movable with respect to said backing plate from an open, container-loading position to a closed, non-dispensing position and to a closed, product-dispensing position; and 
 a connecting member attached to an inner surface of said cover plate and extending into said cavity formed by said cover plate and said backing plate so as to engage said depressable actuator, said connecting member positioned and configured so that movement of said cover plate from the closed, non-dispensing position to the closed, product-dispensing position in a first direction causes movement of the depressable actuator in a second direction, substantially different from the first direction, to actuate the foaming pump and dispense the foamed product through said outlet of said valve assembly, 
 wherein said connecting member includes a cam surface and the depressable actuator includes a cam follower, said cam surface and the cam follower coorerating such that said cam surface engages the cam follower to move the depressable actuator in the second direction when said cover plate is moved in the first direction. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second directions are generally perpendicular to each other. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second directions are generally horizontal and vertically upward, respectively. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said connecting member comprises:
 a base having one end fixedly attached to said inner surface of said cover plate; and 
 a pair of spaced apart leg portions extending from said base and into said cavity, each of said leg portions having at least one angled cam surface, said cam surface having a lower end and an upper end, said lower end spaced from said base by a distance greater than the distance between said base and said upper end; 
 wherein said cam follower is adjacent said lower end when said cover plate is in the closed, non-dispensing position and is adjacent said upper end when said cover plate is in the closed, product-dispensing position. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein each of said leg portions includes an angled outer edge defining said cam surface. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said valve assembly includes a dispensing adaptor coupled to said depressable actuator, said dispensing adaptor including at least one cam follower. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said dispensing adaptor includes a pair of opposed tabs extending from an exterior surface there of to define said cam follower. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said dispensing adaptor is removably coupled to said depressable actuator. 
     
     
       12. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a product from a container located therein which is provided with a valve assembly having a valve and a depressable actuator for actuating the valve, comprising:
 a housing having a backing plate and a cover plate pivotally connected to said backing plate, said cover plate being moveable with respect to said backing plate from an open, container-loading position to a closed, non-dispensing position and to a closed, product-dispensing position, said cover plate and said backing plate together forming a cavity adapted to enclose and hold the container; 
 an opening in a bottom portion of said housing through which the product is dispensable; 
 a projection on an inner surface of said cover plate and extending into said cavity formed by said cover plate and said backing plate; and 
 a housing adaptor removably coupled to said projection and engaging the depressable actuator, said housing adaptor being so positioned and configured such that movement of said cover plate from the closed, non-dispensing position to the closed, product-dispensing position in a first direction causes movement of the depressable actuator in a second direction, substantially different from the first direction, to actuate the valve and dispense product from said opening, 
 wherein said housing adaptor includes a cam surface and the depressable actuator includes a cam follower, said cam surface and the cam follower coorerating such that said cam surface engages the cam follower to move the depressable actuator in the second direction when said cover plate is moved in the first direction. 
 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second directions are generally perpendicular to each other. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second directions are generally horizontal and vertically upward, respectively. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said housing adaptor comprises:
 a base having an opening adapted to receive said projection and secure said housing adaptor to said cover plate; and 
 a pair of spaced apart leg portions extending from said base and into said cavity, each of said leg portions having at least one angled cam surface, said cam surface having a lower end and an upper end, said lower end spaced from said base by a distance greater than the distance between said base and said upper end; 
 wherein the cam follower is adjacent said lower end when said cover plate is in the closed, non-dispensing position and is adjacent said upper end when said cover plate is in the closed, product-dispensing position. 
 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein each of said leg portions includes an angled outer edge defining said cam surface. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein when said housing adaptor is removed, said projection is positioned and configured such that movement of said cover plate from the closed, non-dispensing position to the closed, product-dispensing position in a first direction causes movement of a depressable actuator of a container located in said housing in said first direction to dispense product therefrom. 
     
     
       18. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a foamed product comprising:
 a container enclosing a product to be dispensed; 
 a valve assembly comprising a foaming pump, said valve assembly having an inlet in fluid communication with said container, an outlet and a depressable actuator adapted to actuate said foaming pump to dispense the foamed product through said outlet; 
 a housing comprising a backing plate and a cover plate pivotally connected to said backing plate, said cover plate and said backing plate together forming a cavity adapted to hold said container, and said cover plate being movable with respect to said backing plate from an open, container-loading position to a closed, non-dispensing position and to a closed, product-dispensing position; 
 a projection on an inner surface of said cover plate and extending into said cavity formed by said cover plate and said backing plate; and 
 a housing adaptor coupled to said projection and engaging said depressable actuator, said housing adaptor being so positioned and configured such that movement of said cover plate from the closed, non-dispensing position to the closed, product-dispensing position in a first direction causes movement of said depressable actuator in a second direction, substantially different from the first direction, to actuate said foaming pump and dispense the foamed product through said outlet of said valve assembly, 
 wherein said housing adaptor includes a cam surface and the depressable actuator includes a cam follower, said cam surface and the cam follower coorerating such that said cam surface engages the cam follower to move the depressable actuator in the second direction when said cover plate is moved in the first direction. 
 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the first and second directions are generally perpendicular to each other. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the first and second directions are generally horizontal and vertically upward, respectively. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said housing adaptor comprises:
 a base having an opening adapted to receive said projection and secure said housing adaptor to said cover plate; and 
 a pair of spaced apart leg portions extending from said base and into said cavity, each of said leg portions having at least one angled cam surface, said cam surface having a lower end and an upper end, said lower end spaced from said base by a distance greater than the distance between said base and said upper end; 
 wherein the cam follower is adjacent said lower end when said cover plate is in the closed, non-dispensing position and is adjacent said upper end when said cover plate is in the closed, product-dispensing position. 
 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein each of said leg portions includes an angled outer edge defining said cam surface. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said housing adaptor is removably coupled to said projection such that when said housing adaptor is removed, said projection is positioned and configured such that movement of said cover plate from the closed, non-dispensing position to the closed, product-dispensing position in a first direction causes movement of a depressable actuator of a container located in said housing in said first direction to dispense product therefrom. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said valve assembly includes a dispensing adaptor coupled to said depressable actuator, said dispensing adaptor including at least one cam follower. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein said dispensing adaptor includes a pair of opposed tabs extending from an exterior surface there of to define said cam follower. 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein said dispensing adaptor is removably coupled to said depressable actuator. 
     
     
       27. An adaptor assembly for use with a dispenser housing having a backing plate and a cover plate pivotally connected to said backing plate and moveable with respect to said backing plate in a first direction, and a container enclosing a product to be dispensed, the container including a valve assembly having a valve and a depressable actuator moveable in a second direction for actuating the valve, comprising:
 a housing adaptor removably mounted on an inside surface of the cover plate and including at least one cam surface; and 
 a dispensing adaptor removably mounted on the depressable actuator and including at least one cam follower, said cam surface and said cam follower so positioned and configured such that movement of the cover plate in the first direction causes movement of the depressable actuator in the second direction to actuate the valve and dispense foamed product. 
 
     
     
       28. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a product in a liquid dispensing mode or a foam dispensing mode, wherein when in the liquid dispensing mode the apparatus includes a first container provided with a valve assembly having a valve and a depressible actuator for actuating the valve when moved in a first direction, and when in the foam dispensing mode the apparatus includes a second container provided with a valve assembly having a valve and a depressible actuator for actuating the valve when moved in a second direction, comprising:
 a housing having a backing plate and a cover plate pivotally connected to said backing plate, said cover plate being moveable with respect to said backing plate from an open, container-loading position to a closed, non-dispensing position and to a closed, dispensing position, said cover plate and said backing plate together forming a cavity adapted to enclose and hold the first or second container; 
 an opening in a bottom portion of said housing through which the product is dispensable; 
 a projection on an inner surface of said cover plate and extending into said cavity formed by said cover plate and said backing plate, wherein when in the liquid dispensing mode said projection is positioned and configured such that movement of said cover plate from the closed, non-dispesing position to the closed, product-dispensing position in a first direction causes movement of the depressible actuator of the first container in the first direction to dispense liquid product; and 
 a housing adaptor removably coupled to said projection, wherein when in the foam dispensing mode said housing adaptor is positioned and configured such that movement of said cover plate from the closed, non-dispensing position to the closed, product-dispensing position in the first direction causes movement of the depressable actuator of the second container in the second direction to dispense foam product.